Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

The eerie silence of the Silent Serpent Ruin loomed around them as the group wrapped up their final bout with the creatures native to the ruins. The faint sound of dripping water echoed through the dimly lit corridors, casting an almost tranquil air over the remnants of battle.

The ground was littered with the decayed remains of the serpent-like monsters that had been lying in wait, their scaly bodies now lifeless.

Emeric, panting and covered in dirt and blood, glanced over at Adrian, his irritation spiking as he watched him finish off his 7th serpentine monster in a matter of moments. His blade flashed, cutting through the creature with ease, and in just a few strikes, the beast collapsed, writhing before going still. He had killed nearly three times more monsters than anyone else in the group by now.

"Just you wait…" Emeric muttered under his breath, barely containing his frustration. His grip tightened around his spear as he swallowed his anger. He wanted to lash out, to call Adrian out for his overachievement, but he knew it wouldn't do any good. Not here.

Team captain, Gaston, having finished his own fight, approached the group with a wide grin, looking far too pleased with himself. His eyes darted between his teammates as he reached into his storage ring, pulling out several vials of shimmering liquid.

"Good work, everyone," Gaston said, his voice slick with feigned camaraderie. "But this was only the warm-up. We still need to beat the Guardian. It's a tricky one, so you'll need these." He handed out the potions, one by one. "It'll increase your sharpness and awareness for the upcoming battle."

Emeric took the potion, his annoyance still simmering beneath the surface. He glanced at Adrian again, who accepted the potion without a word, barely acknowledging Gaston. Emeric clenched his teeth, forcing himself to drink it down. He couldn't afford to lose focus now.

They made their way through the final corridor, the air growing colder with every step. Ancient markings lined the stone walls, glowing faintly as they approached the Guardian's chamber. A large, weathered door stood before them, towering over the group, its surface etched with the serpentine symbols that gave the ruin its name.

The door creaked open slowly as Gaston pushed it, revealing a vast, cavernous chamber on the other side.

At the far end of the room, perched on a massive stone platform, the Guardian was silently resting. Its body was serpentine, coiled upon itself, with shimmering scales that reflected the dim light of the room. A pair of glowing, predatory reptilian eyes locked onto them as they entered, and the Guardian let out a low, rumbling hiss, its presence oppressive and suffocating.

They felt a chill run down on their spine.

The creature uncoiled slowly, revealing its full, enormous size. Its head was crowned with jagged, bone-like protrusions, and its fangs dripped with a venomous substance that sizzled as it hit the ground. The Guardian's tail thrashed, sending a gust of wind through the chamber, as its muscles rippled with raw, destructive power.

"Stay sharp everyone," Gaston called out, his voice loud as he readied his weapon. "I'm starting!"

The fight began quickly.

Adrian was the first to move, darting forward with blinding speed, his blade cutting through the air as he aimed for the Guardian's tail. Emeric followed suit, gritting his teeth as he tried to keep up, his own attacks focused on the serpent's head. Gaston, meanwhile, positioned himself strategically, hanging back as if waiting for the perfect moment.

The Guardian moved with terrifying speed, its massive body lashing out at them with quick moves. Its fangs snapped, narrowly missing Emeric's head as he ducked out of the way. He managed to land a few hits, but every time he hit, the Guardian seemed to shrug it off like it was nothing.

Minutes passed, and the battle raged on. But as time went on, Emeric started to feel… strange. His vision blurred for a second, and he shook his head, trying to clear the fog that was creeping into his mind.

'What the hell…?' he thought, his heart beginning to race. He thrust his spear again and again, but his movements felt sluggish. His arms grew heavy, and his eyelids began to droop.

Was this the Guardian's ability? Some kind of mind or illusion spell? Emeric looked around, panic setting in his mind. The others were still fighting, but none of them seemed affected or were acting like that.

Adrian, in particular, was still moving with the same speed and precision, showing no signs of fatigue or drowsiness. How was he immune?

The unfairness of it all fueled Emeric's growing anger, but no matter how hard he fought, the drowsiness continued to seep in. He blinked rapidly, trying to stay awake, but his limbs felt like they were made of lead.

"Damn it…" Emeric swore under his breath as his vision darkened. His body swayed, and despite his best efforts, he collapsed to the ground, his consciousness slipping away.

One after another, the others in the group started to fall, unable to resist the overwhelming drowsiness. Within minutes, the chamber was silent except for the sound of the Guardian's slow, steady movements and Adrian's unwavering attacks.

Adrian glanced at the fallen forms of his teammates, his expression unreadable. He pressed forward, refusing to slow down, his strikes landing with calculated precision. But before long, Gaston's voice rang out from behind him.

"Stand down, kid," Gaston called. Adrian hesitated for a moment, then stepped back, his sword lowering.

Gaston stepped forward, his movements confident, almost leisurely. The Guardian, sensing the shift, turned its attention toward him, but it was too late. With a single, decisive strike, Gaston plunged his blade into the creature's skull, finishing it off with ease. The Guardian let out a final, agonized hiss before collapsing to the ground, its massive body twitching before going still.

For a moment, the chamber was filled with nothing but the sound of Gaston's victorious sigh.

"Well," he said, wiping his blade with a smug grin, "that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Adrian remained silent, watching Gaston with a carefully blank expression.

The others lay unconscious around them, unaware of what was happening. And Gaston's smirk widened, as the final pieces of his plan were falling neatly into place.

"Haha, you are really something for a third-rate villain."

Gaston paused mid-stride, his smirk faltering for just a second as Adrian's voice cut through the eerie silence of the chamber.

"Hey, Gaston, were you like this from the start?" Adrian asked, his tone dripping with nonchalance. "I mean, were you always this scheming, vile, lustful, pathetic, egoistic, idiotic, abusive... Ah, the list can go on if I don't stop. But I am sure they're not something you've picked up recently, right?"

Gaston turned slowly, his grin returning, though now it seemed more forced. "Scheming? What are you talking about?" He chuckled lightly, but his eyes narrowed as he regarded Adrian. "You're speaking some insulting nonsense, kid. I'm just here to make sure we all get through this alive."

Adrian raised an eyebrow, casually sheathing his blade as he began walking toward Gaston, his movements slow and deliberate. "Really? That's interesting, considering your 'heroic' move just now." He gestured toward the fallen Guardian with a slight tilt of his head. "I mean, waiting for everyone to collapse and then swooping in for the kill. It's almost like… you knew exactly what was going to happen.

Well, you should since it was you who gave them the sleeping potion after all."

Gaston's expression hardened, though he still tried to keep up the façade. "I don't know what you are talking about kid. Ah, right, maybe the stress of the fight got to you. Ah, what a poor soul."

Adrian stopped a few paces away from him, his gaze locked on Gaston with an almost predatory glint. Then, out of nowhere, his lips curled into a cold, humorless smile. "Why don't we cut the act, Gaston?" Adrian's voice dropped to a near whisper, his words laced with mockery. "I know what you're up to. So why don't we just start already?"

"And, you guys hiding in the shadows, you can come out now. And, I have to tell you, it is really uncomfortable being watched by guys like you. You must be a group of creeps I swear."